Need helping gaining muscle mass (10lbs)!

[Bud876]

Ok, I will try to answer all the questions necessary for this.

Problem: Can't gain weight. Stuck at 180 for over 3months

Build:
Age-22
6 foot
185lbs
Took Body Fat Test in January-I was at 8%, I cant recal my lean muscle mass.

History: Played sports in highschool (Football, Cross Country, Soccer, Track). Always been athletic and had fast metabolism, had 6 pack since I was younge.
Now Im in college in ROTC program almost ready to commision
Been hitting the weights heavy for a year now, went from 170-185.


Training:

Monday-Friday-6:00am-7:00am Military Training
Mostly Consist of Cardio type events-Run anywhere from 3-6miles at sub 6:30minutes, usually a couple hundred sit ups and push-ups. This isnt jogging, this is running. Most people probably cant keep my pace for 200meters, most calorie calculators say running burns 800 caleries but that is bull shit for me. Im 180lbs and can run a 5:20 pace for 3 miles and I know im burning more then that.


Weight Training: Anywhere from 3pm-10pm (This is the only part of my training I can take from or add on to)
1 1/2 hours. 6 times a week, 1 day off
I superset Bi's and Tris-2 days a week (1 day is heavy/low rep, other is light high rep)
Superset Chest and Back-(same as above)
Then do shoulders, traps-(Same as above)
I do weighted Core 3 times a week

Monday, Wed, Friday 7:30-8:30-On top of my individual workout, I have a weight lifting class. This mostly consist of leg workouts, squats, deadlifts, etc.

So three days a week I will get 3 1/2 hours of workout in and the other three is at a 1 1/2. The weightlifting class and Army PT is not optional and can't change.



Diet:
This is where I know Im screwing up. I want to eat right and I have the discipline, the only problem is I am in college. The food selection is horrible in the dining halls. Any advice will be appreciated. I will start the online diet calculator to give you guys the exact protein and calorie intake.

I take a GNC Mens Vit.

I'm taking ISOMASS Extreme Gainer

I drink the 30gram muscle milk after my individual workout in the evening.

I eat 3 hard meals at the dining hall. I try to eat a big bowl of fruit everytime and cottage cheese on top of main meal.

3 penut butter honey sandwhiches and glass of milk between breakfest and lunch

3 bags of instant oatmeal and glass of milk between lunch a dinner

Drink ISOMASS EXTREME GAINER shake about 30minute after my evening workout.

I drink 80oz (4 shaker cups worth) of water throughout the day. Then a glass of water and powerade at my main meals. Probably need to increase my water intake.

Saturday and Sunday-These days I cant eat at dinning hall, so I can do about anything here.

Sleep:
This is another problem area (College+Army=Suck). I promise you I get as much as I can but some nights its only 5hours, Ya waking up at 5 in the morning for the Army blows balls. I average probably 6 hours Mon-Fri. Sat and Sun about 12hours.

Goal: Gain 10lbs of lean muscle mass. I will be happy at 190, any heavier and my run time will start to decline.

Again, any help will be greatly appreciated! I have been stuck at 180 for 3 months now, and want to start increasing. I will take any adive such as the Olive Oil thing I just read about, never knew that.

Thanks Again for your time and any advice,
Mike

 

[Marat]

At the end of the day, it's calories in vs calories out.

The issue lies in that you just do so much activity throughout the week that you aren't taking in enough calories to support anabolism.

Generally, we'd ask you to track your intake. However, i'm familiar with dining halls and it's virtually impossible to track. Are you able to ditch the dining hall and cook on your own? That'll be the most effective way of proceeding. For now, I'll assume that that isn't the case.

Ultimately, you are going to need to increase your intake. Olive oil and heavy whipping cream/ice cream in your shakes are effective implementations.

Can you be more detailed in what your weight training class consists of as well as what you private weight training consists of ?("chest and back" are just body parts, seeing the exercises would be more useful).

Additionally, it seems that you need to find some time to rest. You train for somewhere in the order of 15+ total hours a week. Depending on what you do in class, you may want to ditch your private weightlifting in order to give your body some rest.

We can get more dialed in once we get some more information about your training and what we can do about tracking your diet.

 

[JayCutler]

i prefer to make my own "gainer" so to say with whole food. try to use less processed and manufactured food unless absolutely necessary. whole food is much more anabolic imo.

 

[Isquat565]

At the end of the day, it's calories in vs calories out.

The issue lies in that you just do so much activity throughout the week that you aren't taking in enough calories to support anabolism.

Generally, we'd ask you to track your intake. However, i'm familiar with dining halls and it's virtually impossible to track. Are you able to ditch the dining hall and cook on your own? That'll be the most effective way of proceeding. For now, I'll assume that that isn't the case.

Ultimately, you are going to need to increase your intake. Olive oil and heavy whipping cream/ice cream in your shakes are effective implementations.

Can you be more detailed in what your weight training class consists of as well as what you private weight training consists of ?("chest and back" are just body parts, seeing the exercises would be more useful).

Additionally, it seems that you need to find some time to rest. You train for somewhere in the order of 15+ total hours a week. Depending on what you do in class, you may want to ditch your private weightlifting in order to give your body some rest.

We can get more dialed in once we get some more information about your training and what we can do about tracking your diet.

I now have nothing to add this guy is a genius and said it all.

 

[Bud876]

I do many various excercises. For example we'll do tommorow's chest day:

I alternate doing the bar and dumbells eacg week and try never to do the same excercise a week:

Weightlifting Class:
Usually consist of 6 different excercises and usually 3x8
We do Squats, Deadlifts, Rows, Incline Press, Pull-ups, Bench, some core excercises, weighted lunges.


Chest/Back:
Decline: Warm-up 135
225x12
285x8
315x4

Isometric Pull-Ups
3x8 I go up hold 7 seconds, down 1/2 way 7 seconds, 3/4 for 7 seconds and back up, for a total of 8.

Incline Dumbell press:
3x12 with 75 or 80 depending on how fatigued I am

Standing Rows
I dont know what you call them, but standing row's with 185 (3x10)

Bench
225x10
225x8
285x4

Lat Pull Downs (wide grip)
3x8 145- Really controlled isolating the back and getting good burn

Chest Flys
Burnout with 30's

Core
Straight Legged Sit-ups
Decline Partner Ball throws 3x40 15 pound ball
HellsBells 30 each side
Crunches 50
V-ups-Burnout

Seated Rows
3x8 (weight depends on how smoked I am)

Weight Dips
3x8-I try to really lean forward on these to work the pecks, i use 70 pounds on the weight belt

Pull-Ups
3 sets of burnouts

Of course this is at a college gym and sometimes it gets PACKED, so Its never in this order usually what ever is open I hit. Really difficult to superset. I hope this helps and any more information needed I will provide, I know there is no easy way to get those caleries but any advice would be helpfull.

 

[Built]

Okay, so you do your weightlifting class, and THEN you do your "chest and back" day?

Same day or on a different day? And how come?

 

[Bud876]

Well the "weightlifting class" is actually a college course I am taking for credit. So I have to do all of his workouts. It just depends on what days the workouts fall on. If my chest/back day falls on a MWF then yes it will be on a weightlifting class day. Hope that answers your question.

 

[Built]

So you're training twice on some days, and your own workouts are always upper body, three times a week; you're doing a ton of cardio and high volume workouts and you can't gain weight.

I know, right, and it seems like you'd gain like crazy on that...

Honey, you're just overtraining and undereating.

 

[Bud876]

I dont want to be rude but no shit. I been struggling with this shit for the past 4 years. If it wasnt for all this cardio I would probably be over 220. I would like to know what I need to be eating to gain weight. I am on high cardio program, does that mean its impossible to gain weight? If it is tell me if its not, tell me what I need to be doing to gain weight. I tried different things and I have had no sucess, hints why im posting here for experts to try to help me on my nutrition. I was taking those GNC 2200 calarie shakes on top of a 4k calorie diet. Should I just eat anything in front of me?

 

[Marat]

I am on high cardio program, does that mean its impossible to gain weight?

It is not impossible -- you just need to overcome the large energy output by taking in more calories than you currently are eating.

Should I just eat anything in front of me?

You are not in the caloric surplus required to gain weight. Therefore, you have two basic options: a) decrease the energy output b) take in more calories

You cannot employ option 'a'. As a result, you need to be eating more than you have been.

I presume that you have been trying to 'eat more' for years? If so (and because that has been ineffective) you may need to drop the dining hall and track your intake to ensure that you are taking in sufficient calories. It's possible that you are eating in surplus on some days and deficit on others which leaves you at about maintenance.

 

[danzik17]

I dont want to be rude but no shit. I been struggling with this shit for the past 4 years. If it wasnt for all this cardio I would probably be over 220. I would like to know what I need to be eating to gain weight. I am on high cardio program, does that mean its impossible to gain weight? If it is tell me if its not, tell me what I need to be doing to gain weight. I tried different things and I have had no sucess, hints why im posting here for experts to try to help me on my nutrition. I was taking those GNC 2200 calarie shakes on top of a 4k calorie diet. Should I just eat anything in front of me?

Some here would kill for your struggle

In all seriousness though, if you're getting the training via the weightlifting class, why are you doing things outside of it as well? You're doing all the big basic lifts in the class, it sounds like everything is pretty well covered. You need to train LESS to start gaining, crazy as that sounds.

Also, are you sure you're getting adequate protein? For someone as active as yourself, I'd aim for 1.5g/lb lbm minimum.

You can also try having some fun. For a week, go get yourself some donuts, ice cream, whatever high calorie shit you can get your hands on. Have at it. You just need calories to replace the massive amount that you're burning, they don't necessarily need to be from a "clean" source. The only rule is make sure you still hit your minimum proteins, minimum fats, and no trans fats. For the record if that's what you need to do to even gain weight, I officially hate you. A lot.

 

[Built]

We all hate you.

Now go eat. At least do us the courtesy of living the collective fantasies of all us former and current fatties.

PS the olive oil trick is the bomb - the cheapest and most effective weight gainer you will ever use. Not only is it easy calories, it actually helps your body make testosterone out of cholesterol.

danzik's right - ditch the extra workouts. Try it for a month while getting in 5000 calories a day (read: everything you are currently eating, plus at least an ounce of olive oil a day) and drop back in a month to tell us how much you've gained.

Okay?

 

[DaMayor]

We all hate you.

Now go eat. At least do us the courtesy of living the collective fantasies of all us former and current fatties. Okay?

Captain PSMF says you better eat....don't make me come over there, boy.

If you need any recipes to GAIN...Believe me, I can hook you up.

 

[Bud876]

The weightlifting class just isnt enough. Its maybe only a good 40minutes of working out and 6 lifts and like maybe might get two lifts on a major muscle group. Please send me the recipes Damayor. I been going out and buying these huge buritos the and putting a shit load of beans, rice, chicken, guacamole (however u spell it), damn things like the size of my leg. Been using that whipping cream milk, drinking 1 of those every 2 days. Just off the olive oil and whipping cream is an extra 2k caleries a day plus what ever the burrito is. Spring break unfortunatly is only a month out now. So Im probably going to be low carbing 2 weeks out and going to get absolutly ripped. I'll keep a diary and post. I will be eating 5k caleries a day and still losing weight.

BTW all my friends do hate me, but you always want what you dont have i guess. I just want to be like my friend who can just pack on the muscle/fat and he wants to be like me :-(.

If your serious about the 1.5 per lb? Thats like 300 grams of protein? I havnt even been comming close to that. I thought there was a limit to how much protein your body can process in a day? Someone told me like anything over 200 was a waste!?!?

 

[danzik17]

If your serious about the 1.5 per lb? Thats like 300 grams of protein? I havnt even been comming close to that. I thought there was a limit to how much protein your body can process in a day? Someone told me like anything over 200 was a waste!?!?

Not true at all. Based on your activity levels, up your protein.

 

[Bud876]

Will do.......Keep the advice rolling please, i will go shopping tonight at walmart, so ill be taking any advice. I will be buying a shit load of oatmeal, veggies, fruit, canned chicken, etc. I cant really cook so I need things that are fast and easy. Probably go buy a 10lbs of raisens I love them, but I had a bad expereince recently with them. Was on the toilet for 2 days, didnt know if you eat the entire can in one day that will happen :-(. I been spending hours reading other post about gaining weight and diets. But I sitll cant find guys that do near as much cardio, most of the guys do 20min walks and what not. Is there any exceptions to their program that will apply to me or do I just compensate for the extra burned caleries during my cardio.

 

[Marat]

Is there any exceptions to their program that will apply to me or do I just compensate for the extra burned caleries during my cardio.

In terms of compensating for the calories, you would just have to eat more.


However, you may (or may not) find issues growing with all the work that you do throughout the week. It's very important that you get in some time to rest --- all the mandatory cardio/running that you do in ROTC, alongside with all the heavy weightlifting, puts a big stress on your body. I'd recommend keeping that in mind if you find yourself struggling.

 

[Bud876]

Is vegitable oil all right to take too?

 

[Built]

No. Please don't use vegetable oil. Stick to olive oil for this. Grapeseed oil is fine, too, or peanut oil.

 

[papitosabe]

PS the olive oil trick is the bomb -..., it actually helps your body make testosterone out of cholesterol.

sounds interesting...i'd like to read up on this just for my personal knowledge...is there anything inparticular you can link? thx..

 

[DaMayor]

sounds interesting...i'd like to read up on this just for my personal knowledge...is there anything inparticular you can link? thx..

Um, yeah......www.listentoBuilt.com.

 

[Archangel.]

It all comes down to calories in vs calories out

 

[Built]

Olive oil converts cholesterol more easily into testosterone

 

[Bud876]

Thanks for that built, I was trying to tell my buddies about that

 

[Bud876]

I been dieting pretty hard and Im happy with the results. I havnt gained weight but I stayed at 183 and getting more ripped. So im happy! Im gonna cut some of the fat caleries and gonna up my running a little. I want to get really ripped for spring break. After Spring break though its back to high cal diet.
Before:

After:

I really appreciate the help and advice. I will continue youll advice. But I know being in college is really hurting me. So I will be back in 2 months when Im done and re-access everything and get on a realy strict diet where I can actually manage my intake and track it. My cardio will probably be cut in 1/2. Again, Thank you.

 

[Built]

VERY nice. Always a pleasure doing business with you.

 

[Bud876]

My power starting to rise again, since on the diet. I think my body was just lacking the nutrients it needed. I feel alot healthier and alot more energy. I was planning to do low carb diet but I dont think there is a need. I will keep what Im doing, and ill just keep adding miles if I want to lose more weight. I really cant wait untill I get out of school, I want to see what Im reallly capable of.